Switch for direction indicators



May 14, I935.

s. .1. E. ASKLUND 2,001,234

SWITCH FOR DIRECTION INDICATORS Filed May 12, 1931 7 7/ v 2 I 7 w i a W m a /6 "I3 jg 25 Patented May 14, 1935 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Sven Johan Eugen Amalia, Stockholm, Sweden Application May 12, 1931, Serial No. 536,829 In Sweden May 16, 1930 Claims. (Cl. 200-59) The meat invention relates to switclms for 20, 2| and 24, 25 are adapted to be closed in the direction indicators for motor vehicles. More signal position of the device, 1. e. when the plunger particularly the invention relates to such direc- 8 takes up its attracted position in which case a tion indicators which comprise a number of elecmetallic projection 22 disposed on the plunger I 6' t mm: c w y actuated signals adapted to be enters between the contacts 20 and 2| thereby 5 brought in signalpositions by means of an elecconstituting a conducting bridge between said trio switch arranged within reach of the driver. contacts. The opposite terminals of the coils '8 The invention has forits object to provide a and I are connected to wires 21 and 28 whichlead circuit controller, which can easily be operated to the contacts 29 and 30 of two release devices with the fingers oi. the hand holding the steering constituted by two switches 3| and 32 disposed in 10 wheel without interfacing with the steering, and a particular manner which will be more closely by which the signal is automtically released from described in the following but which have the its swung up position through the returning characteristic property that they are normally movement of the steering coiumn after passing a closed but adapted to be opened by an abutment l5 curve. 33 disposed on the steering gear, when the wheel To the attainment of thisobject the invention isturned in a directiontowards the straight ahead consists substantially therein, that a signalling position from a swung out position correspondswitchis pivotcdonamccptacie. which ismounting to the driving direction signalled. The oped on the steering column adjacent to the steerposite contacts of the switches are connected to in: wheel. said receptacle containing signal .rea normally closed contact 36, 31 which is conso storing members of unimrcctlmnl operation and nected to the positive terminal of a battery 11 the an pbutmcnt connected with the steeflnu' wheel opposite terminal of which is grounded, i. e. conand arranged in the path of the signal rater-ins nected to the frame. members. a The hand wheel 48 with its rod is rotatably Other objects and novel details of construction mounted in usual manner in the steering column 25 Wfllbe morefully describcdhereinaftcr and point- 49. On this column there is mounted a sleeveedout in the claims. 1 y shaped member 50 of insulating material, such Theinventm will now be moreclosely deas bakelite. 0n the drawing a portion of said scribed with reference! the nying drawsleeve has been broken away so as to show more in, in which is shown a. diagtic view clearly some of the parts enclosed therein. The be partly in section of an embodiment of the inconnection from the contacts 3|, 32 to earth is venison. p constituted by a metallic band 51 of cylindrical In the drawing l and Zindicatetwo electromagshape and secured to the inside of the sleeve 50. netic direction signal devices, the signal device I To this band is connected a metallic leaf spring comprising an indicating arm 3 which is pivoted 38 cooperating with the contact 31 disposed in the 35 at 4 and controlled by a solenoid 6 and the signal sleeve and on the outside thereof connected device 2 comprising an arm 5 which is pivoted at to the plus pole of the battery. Extending through (and controlled by a solenoid I. Each solenoid an aperture in the sleeve 50 there is disposed a cooperates with a plunger 8, 8 which is connected push member 52 adapted to break the contact be- 44 with thearmsS, 5 by means of a link 9, Ill. when tweenparts 8G and 31 upon being actuated. lo the coil 6 is energized the plunger 8 is attracted The switches 3| and 32 are constituted by U- and pulls the link 9 into the position shown shaped metallic pieces which are pivoted on the whereby the arm 3 is brought into signal posiband 5| at 53 and 54 respectively. They are action. As soon as the current through the coil 6 tuated by helical springs 55, 56 the ends ofwhich (I ceases th corresponding parts in t k up th engage the band and the switch members 3!, 32 {,5 position shown on the right hand part of the in such a manner that they tend to hold the figure. The driver's switch comprises two norparts 3 I, 32 in the position shown to the left bearmally open contacts H, l2 and l3. It, or which ns a ains th c n a 9, 30- I the p P the contacts II, I? are connected to earth, i. e. tion of each p ece 32 there are pivotally u the frame of the motor vehicle. The contact l2 ed at 5?, 58 two detents 59, which preferably is over a wire l5 connected to the solenoid 6 and are made of insulating material- The detents the contact over a wire I! to the solenoid I. 60 are normally held in a p si i n para with The wires l5, ii are also connected to branch the bottom side of the pieces 3|, 32 by means of wires 19, 23, which lead over normally open conhelical springs 6 I, 62 the ends of which are beartacts 20, 2| and 24, 25 to earth. The contacts ing in suitable manner against the detents 5!, 60 is and the bottom sides of the parts 3!, 32. The abutment 33 is here constituted by a rigid metal bar secured to a split ring 63 the ends 64, 55 of which are squeezed between the abutment 33 and a reinforcing disc 66 which parts are held together by means of suitable bolts. The ring 63 is mounted tightly on the lower cylindrical portion of the steering wheel so as to follow the movements of the steering gear. Any other suitable manner of mounting the part 33 will, of course, be within the scope of the invention.

From the drawing it is evident that the turning of the steering wheel in such a direction that the abutment 33 is moved towards the centre of the figure will actuate the detent 60 which is catching the part 32 and forcing it to take up an inclined position until the abutment 33 has passed the detent 63. In this case the part 32 will be out of contact with the contact piece 30 which is secured to the inside of the sleeve 50 and connected to the wire 4|. In this case the coil 1 will evidently be deenergized. If, on the other hand, the wheel is turned further on in the same direction so that the abutment 33 is passing the detent 59, this detent will yield and swing on its pivot 57 against the action of the spring 6| until the abutment 33 has passed. During this passage a metallic contact is uninterruptedly maintained between the bar 5| and the contact 29 whereby the wire 39 leading to the coil 6 is in metallic connection with the positive pole of the battery.

The contacts ll, l2 and l3, M are constituted by metal springs secured to the inside of the insulating sleeve 53. Their upper ends are bent somewhat outwards and are adapted to cooperate with semi-annular metal members 51 and 68 which are pivoted at 69 and 13 respectively on the sleeve 50. By this disposition it is evidently quite easy to hold the hand-wheel by for instance the right hand and at the same time touch the member 58 by the tips of the fingers of the same hand whereby the contacts (3, 14 will be closed and the coil 1 energized, provided the switch 32 is closed.

The signal devices I and 2 are preferably disposed in the following manner. The top of the coil 6 is provided with an end piece 69 carrying an upwardly extending arm (3 on which the arm 3 is pivoted at 4. The corresponding parts on the right hand side are designated H and 12. To the bottom of the coil frame there is secured a box shaped part 13, 14 in which the contacts 20, 2i and 24, respectively are disposed as shown. On the bottom of the box '13, 14 there is provided an insulating piece 15, 13 on which the contact 42, 44 is mounted in a shape of a leaf spring the end of which cooperates with the contact 43, 45 which is designed as a bolt provided with nuts on the outside and the inside of the box l3, M.

It is quite evident that the present invention is not restricted to the case that the arm 3, 5 is electromagnetically locked in its swung up position by the holding circuit arrangement. It is also conceivable that the arm 3, 5 be held in swung up position by a mechanical detent of usual construction which cooperates with a special release magnet which is normally deenergized but energized when the abutment 33 of the steering gear is moving in a direction towards the straight ahead position from the swung out position signalled by the appertaining arm.

The positions of the switches 3|, 32 along the bar 5! may, of course, be adjusted to suit the conditions, i. e. the angular positions of release may be brought more or less close to the straight ahead position of the steering gear.

I claim:

1. In a signalling system for motor vehicles having a steering column and a steering wheel rotatably mounted therein, a receptacle mounted on and surrounding the steering column adjacent to the steering wheel, a semi-annular, manually operable signalling switch member pivoted on the receptacle adjacent to the steering wheel and arranged coaxially thereof, a signal restoring device accommodated within said receptacle, an actuating member of unidirectional operation connected with said restoring device, and an abutment rigidly connected with said steering wheel and projecting inside said receptacle into the path of said actuating member.

2. In a direction signalling system for motor vehicles having a steering column and a steering wheel rotatably mounted therein, a receptacle mounted on and coaxlally surrounding the steering column adjacent to the steering wheel, a semi-annular, manually operable signalling switch member coaxial with said receptacle and pivoted thereon adjacent to the steering wheel, a signal restoring device accommodated within said receptacle, an actuating member of unidirectional operation connected with said restoring device, and an abutment rigidly connected with said steering wheel and projecting inside said receptacle into the path of said actuating member.

3. In a direction signalling system for motor vehicles having a steering column and a steering wheel rotatably mounted therein, a receptacle mounted on and coaxially surrounding the steering column adjacent to the steering wheel, two pivots mounted at substantially diametrically opposite points at the top of the receptacle, a. semiannular, manually operable signalling switch member conforming with the upper edge of said receptacle and mounted on said pivots, a signal restoring device accommodated within said receptacle, an actuating member of unidirectional operation connected with said restoring device, and an abutment rigidly connected with said steering wheel and projecting inside said receptacle into the path of said actuating member.

4. In a direction signalling system for motor vehicles having a steering column and a steering wheel rotatably mounted therein, a receptacle formed as a hollow cylinder mounted on and coaxially surrounding the steering column adjacent to the steering wheel, two pivots mounted at substantially diametrically opposite points at the top of the receptacle, a semi-annular, manually operable switch member mounted on said pivots to swing between the underside of the hand wheel and the outside of the receptacle, a signal restoring device accommodated within said receptacle, an actuating member of unldirectional operation connected with said restoring device, and an abutment rigidly connected with said steering wheel and projecting inside said receptacle into the path of said actu ating member.

5. In a direction signalling system for motor vehicles having a steering column and a steering wheel rotatably mounted therein, a receptacle formed as a hollow cylinder mounted on and coaxially surrounding the steering column adjacent to the steering wheel, two pivot groups disposed at substantially diametrically opposite points at the top of the receptacle, two semiannular, manually operable, mutually independactuating member of unidirectional operation ent switch members mounted on opposite sides connected with said restoring device, and an of said receptacle on said pivot groups to swing abutment rigidly connected with said steering between the underside of the hand wheel and wheel and projecting inside said receptacle into 5 the outside of the receptacle, a signal restoring the path of said actuating member.

device accommodated within said receptacle, an SVEN JOHAN EUGEN ASH-UND. 

